Do You Have Proximity Bias?
Over the past decade, my career has transitioned from being in the office to fully remote—a shift that many of us have experienced. Along the way, I encountered a challenge I hadn't anticipated or even known how to describe: proximity bias. So, what exactly is proximity bias? It's the unconscious tendency for people in positions of power or leadership to favor those who are physically closer to them. This bias often manifests in the workplace, where leaders might give preferential treatment to employees who work in the office, often at the expense of remote workers. I dealt with this bias at my current job for over a year, and I want to share why it’s crucial for every manager or leader to be mindful of this tendency.
Remote Workers: Efficient, Not Idle
At my current workplace, there's an assumption that those of us who choose to work remotely—or thrive in remote settings—aren’t working. This assumption is not only unfair but also untrue. Before making such judgments, have you considered whether these employees have successfully worked remotely before? Do they have a proven track record of getting results from a remote environment? Were these factors part of their onboarding or performance assessments?
The truth is, that remote workers often excel at efficiency. We’ve mastered the art of streamlining processes, and finding ways to work smarter, not harder. As remote work becomes more common in large corporations that can accommodate it, it’s essential to challenge the outdated notion that people who work from home are lazy. Productivity isn’t about where you work, but how you work. Many remote workers, myself included, have developed the discipline and focus that makes us some of the most productive members of any team. Our location has no bearing on our work ethic.
Value, Deliverables, Collaboration, and Innovation
Regardless of where a team member works, their contributions should be recognized. The focus should be on achieving business objectives together, rather than where someone is physically located. It's unfair to assume that those who work from home care less about the company than their in-office counterparts. Just because someone is present in the office doesn’t necessarily mean they’re more dedicated; they might simply be responding to subtle hints of proximity bias.
What matters are the deliverables—how employees achieve their goals through collaboration and innovative thinking. These elements of success can and do occur in virtual environments, through video calls and digital collaboration tools, just as effectively as they do in person. Treating employees differently based on whether they join meetings from a home office or a company office is no different. It’s time to stop pretending otherwise.
Be Careful with Your Words
Reflecting on my experience, I’ve learned that the way leaders address remote work can reveal underlying biases that impact their teams more than they might realize. When I started working from home, my manager frequently raised concerns during our Zoom meetings—ironic, given that we would use Zoom even when we were both in the office. They repeatedly asked me to come into the office, despite my preference for working remotely and the fact that my location didn’t impact my work.
After about six months, I decided to work remotely more often and only go into the office when I felt it was necessary. My work performance, collaboration, and communication with the team were never in question. Yet, I was constantly reminded that coming into the office was part of the company culture. To me, a half-empty office building hardly constitutes culture.
Eventually, I had a candid conversation with my manager, asking what the difference was between taking meetings from my home office versus in the office when we were essentially doing the same thing—sitting in front of a screen. The response? I needed to come in because "that was the culture." Baffled, I explained that I prefer not to be interrupted by team members when working on deep projects and that I always keep my communication lines open.
Despite my consistent over-communication and documentation of progress, my manager suggested that my opportunities within the company would be more limited if I chose to continue working remotely. This was a clear display of bias against my choice of workspace, with no evidence to suggest that my deliverables, collaboration, innovation, or commitment were any less than those of my in-office peers.
I share this experience to highlight why proximity bias—or location bias—should have no place in today’s workplace. If a team member is excelling, delivering results, collaborating effectively, and driving innovation, why question where they do their work? Making assumptions that remote workers are lazy or unproductive is dangerous territory. Be cautious about letting such biases cloud your judgment, and remember that some of your best and brightest team members, now and in the future, may never step foot in an office again.
